


The Wager

by startrekkingaroundasgard



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: And I'm not even sorry, Angst, Breakup, F/M, Fluff, Loki seduces the reader, Love, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Pre-Thor (2011), Second Chances, So much WORSE, Things Get Better, but then get worse again, for a bet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-06-23 21:54:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard
Summary: Loki and Fandral make a bet to try and win the heart of the beautiful woman who comes to Asgard to help with peace talks between the leader of the realms. Fandral strikes out quickly but things look far better for Loki. He slowly seduces the reader until it is no longer about the wager at all. However, when the reader finds out about the wager, she cuts all ties with Loki until 500 years later when her ship comes across an Asgardian refugee vessel and comes face to face with the man who shattered her heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr

"I hear that she is the most gorgeous woman in all of the realms,“ Fandral said, leaning back as a gorgeous maiden ran her hands through his hair. "Capable of stealing the heart of a man with just a single look. Beautiful. Strong. And most creative when it comes to matters of passion.”

"She’ll have no interest in you, then,“ Volstagg laughed, reaching across the table and refilling his plate with the most magnificent food that the palace kitchens could muster for the fifth time that hour alone. None of the others so much as blinked an eye at this, completely used to Volstagg’s insatiable appetite. He had barely even exerted himself in training today but seemed to be eating enough to make up for any energy lost tenfold.

The warriors began bickering back and forth, only to be joined by a group of nearby nobles who had also heard word of the beautiful woman bound for Asgard. None were entirely sure of the exact details but the overall picture was clear. A literal goddess of love, helping others to find companionship, solving crises between warring races and delivering messages of good will across the universe. The most noble of work, but so very lonely.

"What say you, Loki?” Fandral asked, calling his friend over from across the room. “You think your silver tongue could woo a goddess?”

"I have no doubt,“ he said confidently, waving away the beautiful women that were sprawled around Fandral’s feet. Most of the surrounding nobles left with the girls, never really favouring Loki’s company. He hardly cared but it was clear Fandral was already missing the company of his beautiful young conquests.

Mischief in his eyes, almost enough to match the younger prince, Fandral asked, "Would you wager on it?”

Loki opened his mouth to claim that no prize would be worth the effort of going out of his way to prove his already well establish prowess but the words died on his lips as the enormous doors to the hall opened. Tearing his gaze away from the vision of beauty that stood in the doorway, radiant with an almost ethereal light, Loki turned to Fandral and tried not to laugh. The warrior looked as if he were ready to cross the room on his hands and knees to offer his very soul to eternal slavery for just one kiss.

"You still think you could turn the head of a woman like that?“ Volstagg asked, rolling his eyes at the foolishness of his friends. Of course, he admired beauty as much as the next person but against the feast before him (which now seemed to have been forgotten by every other guest) he knew where his affections truly lay. Good food had never seen him wrong yet.

"Yes,” Loki and Fandral answered in unison. They frowned at one another, eyes darkening both with lust for the beauty before them and the promise of a fight for her hand.

From across the table, lady Sif looked over from her own conversation wondering what trouble her friends were about to cause. Her warning was met by Fandral with a dashing smile, to which she simply rolled her eyes and let them continue without another word. She knew the pair were scoundrels but was also far too smart to try and stop them lest they try to turn their attentions to her.

"One hundred gold pieces,“ Fandral said, extending his hand. "To the first to win her heart.”

Loki chuckled and tilted his head to the side, much to the confusion of his friend. “You expect to claim the heart of a goddess of love? You are delusional, my friend. Set your sights lower, for a woman that deals in the matters of lust and affection knows never to let anyone so close to risk them taking liberties with her own heart.”

Considering the logic and accepting Loki’s argument, the bet was altered to the first to earn a kiss and the friends shook hands. “May the best man win,” Fandral said.

"Oh, I intend to,“ Loki replied.

***

"If you are here to try and preposition me like your annoying friend, then you really ought to leave before you embarrass yourself,” you said, not bothering to look up from your book. It had been such a long morning already, and you’d only been up for less than an hour.

Having arrived at the palace yesterday evening you’d met with Odin to discuss your business and then been shown to one of the most luxurious rooms you’d ever seen. There was gold everywhere, shining and glittering in one of the most excessive shows of wealth that you’d ever seen. Compared to the simplicity of your ship, this opulence was a little overwhelming.

You’d woken this morning before first light and decided to take a walk in the gardens to clear your head before what was destined to be a long, tiring day. Asgardian politics were by far the most infuriating in the entire universe. Round and round they went in circles, always avoiding the point they were trying to make. That was why you had been invited, really. Odin wanted you to charm his opposition, to catch them in your spell and bend them to his demands. Exhausting work, and hardly the kind you enjoyed, but for the sake of peace and harmony in the universe it was worth it.

What you’d not been expecting, however, was to be jumped the moment you stepped outside of your room. A young warrior, Fandrien or something, had practically pounced on you and despite your protests accompanied you to the gardens. He was attractive, that was undeniable, but you’d been able to sense immediately that his intentions with you were less than sincere. As such, you’d quite possibly been shorter with him than protocol allowed - going so far as to threaten to cut off a certain appendage if he did not back away that second - but it had eventually been enough to dissuade him from further advances.

"I simply came to ask if you were joining us for breakfast,“ Loki said, holding his hands up in the air in a peaceful gesture. "My father was hoping for your discussions to begin as soon as possible.”

"Which are you?“ you asked, quietly sighing as you rose to your feet and closed your book. So much for your peaceful plans for the morning. "I heard that Odin had two sons. Loki and Thor.”

"I am Loki,“ he said, taking your hand in his and bringing it to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on your knuckles and bowed, never breaking eye contact. "It is a pleasure to meet you, lady Y/N. I have heard much about you.”

"All exaggerated, I’m sure,“ you said, allowing him to take your arm and guide you through the palace gardens. There was a fascinating air to the young prince, confident but somehow reserved. Recalling what you knew of Asgard, it hardly seemed surprising. There were stories of the prince Thor echoing around the realms; a flamboyant and impulsive young man. It could not have been easy growing up in that sort of shadow.

Loki flashed you a grin, the kind that would have almost certainly made anyone else blush. "They spoke of your beauty, which is without doubt beyond compare. I would not have expected anything less than a goddess of love, though. I am curious, though.”

You raised your eyebrows, prompting him to continue.

"Beautiful, strong, passionate. Those qualities I can clearly see. However, I have heard many tales of your unrivalled compassion and kind heart but am as of yet to experience that. You clearly didn’t let Fandral down gently and have been barely cordial to me.“

"The ego of men is so easily shattered.” In fact, that was what made manipulating their hearts so easy. For as effortless as it was to break them, it was just as easy to build them up and make them feel loved. Of course, the women of the universe were equally simple when it came to matters of affection. “Perhaps if you or your friend had left me in peace to enjoy my morning, I would have been far more considerate of your fragile feelings.”

Loki guided you around a corner and, looking around, you realised that you were in a beautiful little nook far away from the palace. High bushes formed protective barriers against the view from the rest of the gardens, covered in the most beautiful vines and flowers you had seen for many years. In the centre of the small space sat an old stone bench, carved with the most intricate and detailed images of what you suspected were the goddesses of old around the legs.

Running your hand over the stone, you were surprised to feel that, despite being in the direct path of the light, the bench remained cool enough to sit upon - and it was surprisingly comfortable too. Pulling a dying pink rose from the bushes, you watched as the petals regained their shape, the colour returning as you brought it back from the edge of death. Simple magic but beautiful nonetheless. Loki seemed to think so too, as he took the rose from your hands and tucked it in your hair.

"If you so wish, you may stay here to read for a while longer and I shall tell my father that I was unable to locate you.“

"Thank you, Loki,” you said, taken aback by the surprisingly thoughtful gesture. “I would appreciate that greatly. But why do this for me?”

"You have come to Asgard to assist in peace talks across the realms. It seems only fair that, amid that chaos, you are allowed a little peace of your own.“ Bowing low and looking up at you from under his lashes, the striking green on his eyes only emphasised in the early morning light, Loki added, "I also hope that it is enough to earn me a token of your fabled kindness.”

You scoffed, waving the prince away before opening your book and beginning to read from where you’d left off. Noticing that Loki was still there, resting against the bushes with his arms across his chest, watching you with a more gentle expression than you were used to being subjected to, you asked, “Are you going to stand there all day or am I to finally receive the peace you so promised me?”

A smirk on his face, Loki bowed once again and turned to leave you alone. “It was a pleasure, my lady.”

***

The next morning, and every morning after that for the three weeks that followed, you made your way to that quiet little nook before first light. And every day you were met by a new book from the royal library, left in precisely the same spot, accompanied by a fresh pink rose.

In all the time you spent outside in the gardens, Loki never once approached you. In fact, absolutely no one did. You were left completely and utterly alone to enjoy an hour or two of peace before heading to the mayhem of the negotiation room. Whilst he never tried to take the credit, you knew that you had the younger prince to thank for that.

"Good morning, my lady,“ Loki said, a silver platter full of fruit in his hands. He did this every day, knowing that you would never join the court for breakfast. After a suitable amount of time had passed, generally a few hours of supposedly searching the palace to find you but really just sitting around the corner to make sure that no one would interrupt your reading, he would bring you a plate of food to set you up for the long day of negotiations ahead.

"Good morning, my prince,” you replied, happily exchanging the book for food. Stretching out your limbs, stiff from sitting in the same spot all morning, you asked, “Tell me, Loki. How do you feel the talks are going?”

Helping himself to a handful of grapes from the edge of your platter, Loki said lazily, “I did not come here to discuss politics, Y/N, but if you desire my opinion I can say that it appears you have captured even the coldest hearts of the realms. It won’t be long until they are bending over backwards to accommodate your compromises.”

"That’s good. The sooner these discussions are over, the faster I can leave.“

"You’re leaving Asgard?” Loki asked, his entire body jerking up straight. Moving from where he was sat against the hedges to the bench, silently asking permission to join you before actually taking a seat, he grabbed another handful of grapes from your plate. You’d seen him do this before; find some way to distract himself from wringing his hands, either thoughtfully or nervously, together. It was one of the many of his habits and ticks that you found yourself focusing on the more time you spent in his presence, always wondering what sort of thoughts were crowding his mind.

You gave him a stiff smile, turning to face the other direction under the guise of examining a nearby rose hanging perfectly at eye level. As you ran your fingers over the delicate petals, you said, “I never stay in one place longer than necessary. It is too easy to form attachments to people if you linger.”

"And are you? Forming attachments?“

Shaking your head slightly, you pulled the rose from the hedge and continued to examine the beautiful flower so not to have to look at the prince. "The desire to love and be loved stretched across the entire universe. Yet for every true and real connection, there is another doomed to fail. I may be a goddess of love but I seem to deal with heartbreak far more often. Beings of every race come to me and ask for help with their problems. Either they want someone’s love and can’t have it, or want revenge after their own love has turned rotten. It’s damaged and twisted and obsessively cruel. Having seen what love can turn into… Well, it makes me think twice about becoming attached.”

"I understand,“ Loki said, taking the rose from your hands and tucking it behind your ear, as he always did. This time, however, he let his fingers linger on your cheek before dropping them, the echo of his touch making you smile despite yourself. "Not all relationships are doomed to fail, though.”

"Perhaps not but they are all doomed to end.“ As the mid morning light caught his face, you saw the shadows of a frown and couldn’t help but laugh at yourself. There you were, on a beautiful day with an undeniably beautiful man, thinking about such a miserable topic. Placing your hand on Loki’s shoulder, rising to your feet, you said, "I apologise, my prince. After millennia of travelling alone and watching as the timely hand of death breaks apart even the purest of loves, it has become difficult not to be cynical. Anyway, I should make my way back to the palace. Would you care to accompany me?”

Loki agreed immediately, linking his arm with yours and maintaining a constant conversation the entire way back. He stopped just around the corner from the grand hall, from which shouting and the sounds of clashing swords could already be heard, and leant forward slightly, lowering his voice so only you could hear him. “I will miss you should you leave, Y/N,” Loki said, readjusting the rose in your hair so it would not slip. “I had hoped to get to know you better.”

"And I you, Loki. Maybe tonight…“ You bit your tongue for a moment, knowing that this could never end well, but decided to throw caution to the wind. Of all the people that you had met on Asgard, Loki truly was unique and it really wouldn’t be a hardship to spend a little more time with him. More nervous than you’d felt in centuries, you said, "Tonight I planned to do a little maintenance on my ship. Perhaps afterwards, you’d join me and we could watch the passing meteors? I heard it’s one of the most beautiful sights of the year here on Asgard.”

"They are incredible but pale in comparison to your splendour, Y/N.“ Loki brushed his lips over the delicate skin on your neck, a barely there kiss that somehow managed to promise an awful lot more. Pulling away, once again linking your arms together, he said, "I would be honoured to join you tonight.”

Hiding your smile, you headed towards the grand hall and prepared yourself for another long day of madness. The moment that you stepped through the door, all the warring leaders dropped their swords, their attention unequivocally held by your presence. You could see it reflected in their eyes; you were practically glowing today - your excitement for your evening with Loki spilling out into the room in pure waves of emotion, capturing the hearts of all.

For all your effort, there was nothing you could do to stop it (and you didn’t want to either, if it meant bringing an end to the ridiculous fighting). It had been far too long since you’d felt a genuine connection to anyone, not in the way you did with Loki. You couldn’t help it if that affection, if that promise of potential love, shone from you like the purest of lights.

You released your hold on Loki’s arm, gave a small bow to the prince and made your way to the grand chair beside Odin’s throne. Brushing your hair out of your face, fingers lingering on the rose behind your ear, you smiled to the room and asked, “If you’re all quite done, shall we begin?”

***

"Loki, you’re supposed to be watching the meteors, not snooping around my ship,“ you said, laying back into the grass and staring up into the dark night sky. The constellations here on Asgard were so different to any that you had seen in the rest of the galaxy, and you had certainly spent enough time staring up at the sky to know.

When you didn’t get a reply, you pushed yourself up with a sigh. "It really isn’t anything special,” you pointed out, telling the prince that this was just a basic model of interstellar craft, far less impressive than half the ships you’d come across in your travels. Even Asgard’s own ships, designed for nothing more than short trips across the planetoid, were more high tech than yours.

Running your hands over the metal walls as you ducked inside, you stretched out in the pilot’s seat, spinning it around to watch as Loki continued to poke his head into all the different nooks and crannies. “What are you looking for?”

"Books,“ he said, as if it were completely obvious. Climbing back down from the upper deck, Loki leant back against the cool ladder and said, "You must keep them somewhere. I’ve seen how quickly you read - you’ve made your way through half the palace library in the last few weeks alone - so where are yours?”

You reached under your chair and pulled out a book, the one you’d been trying to read that first morning on Asgard, throwing it his way. Loki caught it with tremendous grace, a frown on his face that made you laugh. “You are now holding my entire collection of books. Don’t look so shocked. I live a busy life and rarely ever get a chance to sit back and relax.”

"How many times have you actually read this?“ Loki asked, flicking through the fragile pages. The pages were stained, half were barely hanging in there and many had been torn, bent and all but destroyed. It was a miracle that you could make out any of the words at all, in his opinion. "This must be ancient.”

"It’s seen its fair share of years,“ you said, not really sure yourself how old it was now. You’d been given it by the humblest of women who had come to ask your help with matters of the heart, obviously. She’d had no way to money to give but had instead offered you that book. In any other circumstance you’d have refused but something about her had made you reconsider. "I’ve never actually finished it, though.”

"You’ve never… What? How is that even possible with it in this state?“ Loki asked, crossing the ship and joining you in the cockpit. You offered him the pilot’s seat and then perched on the plump arm rest, half tempted to slide into the prince’s lap but holding yourself back.

"The woman that gave it to me… Years ago when I was living on that planet, I helped her to win the heart of the man but less than two weeks after they married she was found dead. There was never any proof that he did it, even though everyone knew what happened. They loved each other too much. He saw her talking to another man one evening and became so possessed with jealousy that he killed her. I told you before that love can be dark and twisted, and that was the ultimate example.”

Loki’s handling of the book became noticeably more careful as he traced the faded letters on the cover. “So you haven’t finished it in what? Honour for her memory? Or guilt that you caused her death?”

"I beg your pardon?“

"Well, if you hadn’t brought them together then she wouldn’t have died at her husband’s hand. Is that why you’ve spent the past centuries playing politics rather than spreading love throughout the universe? Refusing to let anyone get close to you because you are scared that you may end up meeting the same fate.”

"You know nothing,“ you hissed. Loki grabbed your arm when you went to move away, refusing to let go despite your attempts to break out of his grasp. Drawing on all your strength, you managed to slip your arm free although before you could take so much as three steps towards the bay door of your ship Loki was pressing you against the metal wall.

His body looming over yours, one hand on the wall against your head and the other resting on your hip, Loki said, "I know that you want to believe in love again.”

"To feel the touch of another,“ he breathed, his lips hovering on your skin, just as he’d done earlier that day. Your pulse rate increasing, you couldn’t help but tilt your head and offer up your neck. Loki’s hand slipped past the slit in the fabric of your skirt, teasingly running his fingers up and down your thighs. "And surrender to that connection.”

You inhaled sharply as his teeth brushed over your pulse point, nipping the skin and then soothing the mark with a kiss. A hand on his chest, you pushed Loki back, hardly able to breathe. You needed space to think, to get your thoughts straight before jumping in to something you knew you’d regret. “Loki…”

"Don’t over think this, Y/N,“ Loki said, closing the gap between you once again. You were so very aware of how he was, or rather wasn’t, touching you. In to your ear, he whispered, "Surrender to your desires. Give in to me.”

"I don’t give in easily,“ you breathed, your noses bumping together, his mouth barely millimetres from yours. "You’ll have to be far more persuasive to make me surrender.”

You could feel the smirk on his lips when he said, “Darling, that’s exactly what I’m counting on.”

Something in you snapped then and before you could dissuade yourself, you threw your arms around his neck and pulled the prince into a deep, passionate kiss.

***

After negotiations with the disputing realms wrapped up the following afternoon, it wasn’t difficult to convince Odin to let you stay on Asgard for a little longer. The king was immensely grateful that you’d been able to bedazzle the foreign dignitaries into agree to all of his overly ridiculous conditions for peace. He allowed you to keep a room in the palace, although you spent more time in the gardens or in your ship than around other members of the court. In honour of the successful talks, Odin was to throw the most incredible feasts. The kind of which tales would be told about for years to come.

As you were preparing for the feast, you heard a pair of familiar voices outside in the corridor and decided to investigate. Opening the door ajar ever so slightly, you peered out to see Loki and Fandral in what appeared to be an incredibly intense discussion. You knew that you shouldn’t be listening in to a clearly private discussion but couldn’t quite help your curiosity.

"I told you to keep it,“ Loki hissed, shoving a heavy looking bag back at his friend’s chest.

"You won fair and square. It’s all yours. I will never question the powers of your silver tongue again, my friend. To charm a goddess of love, indeed, you clearly are quite the master of trickery.”

Slamming the door shut, you immediately set about gathering all of your possessions to leave. There wasn’t much to collect and within a matter of minutes you had everything ready to go. You didn’t hear the door open but sensed his presence none the less. “I don’t want to ever see you again, Loki.”

"Y/N, please,“ he begged, reaching out to take your hands. The prince flinched as you tore away from his grasp, hatred for him oozing from every single pore.

Loki stepped forward only to recoil as you slapped him around the face. "How much was I worth to you?”

"I don’t…“ he tried, before changing his mind and owning up to the truth instead. The utter despair on your face was enough to break his heart, and he wasn’t stupid enough to know that yours must have been shattered too. Bowing his head in something akin to shame, possibly guilt, or even just regret at being caught, he admitted, "One hundred gold pieces to the first to earn a kiss.”

"You are despicable, Loki. Utterly despicable. I hope you burn in lowest circles of Hel.“

"Y/N…”

"No! Let go of me, Loki. After everything that I told you, all the reasons that I never get attached… I gave you my trust and you threw it back in my face. This whole time, I thought that I had finally met someone that understood the darkest nature of the universe. But you only understood because you are one of the dark forces. Taking what I gave and twisting it until it breaks and shatters into a million tiny shreds. All for one hundred pieces… Screw you, Loki.“

You could hear the guests to the feast mulling around outside in the corridor and knew that if you went out there you would be bombarded with praise and devotion that you no longer felt you deserved. What could those hollow and lustful words do to fix your shattered soul now? For now you were holding it together, but you had to get away from all of this before you broke down.

Opening up the shutters over the window, your bag hanging off your shoulder, you flung your legs over the edge. As you took your first step, you realised that clambering down the palace walls in these heels was not going to be easy so kicked them off and counted how long it took for it to hit the floor. Five seconds. If the worse came to worse, you figured that you could survive that drop.

"I swear, if you try to touch me again, it will be you going out this window and not I.”

"Y/N, please. It hasn’t been about the bet for weeks. I truly do have feelings for you,“ Loki pleaded, not heading your word and grabbing you by the arm anyway. He pulled you back into the room and refused to let go, going so far as to actually shove you away from the window to stop you from doing something stupid in your attempts to leave. "You are smart, beautiful, so unique. And last night…”

"Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Loki. Last night was a mistake. I don’t know how I ever thought that you could possibly care for me and I will always regret what happened,“ you hissed, crossing your arms over your chest just for a little bit of a shield against him. He would never touch you again, and you warned him as such, lest he risk losing an arm - or more. "I’m leaving and there’s nothing you can say to stop me. Do us both a favour and don’t make a scene. Let me leave with what’s left of my heart and be grateful that I am too ashamed of my own stupidity to even contemplate exacting revenge.”

Clambering out the window, almost grateful that Loki decided to stay put this time, you narrowed your eyes and breathed, “Goodbye, Loki. Pass along my farewell to your father and let him know that I shan’t be returning any time soon.”

With that, you scaled down the side of the palace, crumpling into a ball the moment that your bare feet touched the ground. Your chest was heaving, the flood of emotion flowing through your threatening to tear you in two, but you pushed yourself on to your feet, refusing to show any weakness.

You couldn’t remember the walk back to your ship but the second you stepped on to the familiar metal you felt the memories hit you once again, like a punch in the gut. Stumbling over to the cockpit, you set the navigation to the nearest inhabited planet, a few light years away. The further you could get away from Asgard the better, but you’d need somewhere to refuel first. Always practical, even in the whirl of heartbreak.

Curling up in your seat, you pulled your well loved and tattered book from its storage place and flicked straight to the last page. Tears rolled down your cheeks as you read the last words, finally reaching the ending that you had avoided for so many years. Looking out into the vastness of space, at the stars that went flying by, you realised how foolish you’d been to believe in love after all this time.

The rest of the trip to the next planet passed by in no time, helped enormously by the fact you basically slept the entire way. As you forced yourself out of your bed, you kicked a package across the floor, swearing as the pain shot through your foot. Bending down to pick it up, you studied the unfamiliar writing and opened up the little parcel.

As you opened up the unfamiliar book, a handful of pink rose petals fell from the pages and your heart broke all over again.


	2. Chapter 2

"This is a distress call from the unarmed ship Aphrodite. Engines are failing and the hull is severely damaged. Requesting immediate aid from anyone in the vicinity. Repeat: This is a distress call from the Aphrodite. Please send help.“

Thor looked to Heimdall for advice, despite knowing that in the end it was his and only his decision to make. It was still strange for him to be the king of Asgard, or at least whatever was left of it. There were days when it was still too much to process - every bizarre and terrible thing that had happened on Sakaar; Loki’s apparent change of heart and promise to be "good”; Hela and the destruction of Asgard. It was overwhelming but at least he had a tight circle around him to support his choices.

He knew that the Asgardian refugee vessel, Statesman, was already stretched to its limits in terms of available space and resources. They hadn’t crossed paths with any other ships for the best part of two months so supplies were beginning to fall to dangerously low levels. Additional mouths would only exacerbate an already dire situation.

However, there was every chance that the Aphrodite was carrying supplies that the crew would be willing trade goods in return for help fixing their ship. They could know this star system far better than anyone on the Statesman; after all, they were floating through an area of space of which Thor and his council had no knowledge and any information would really be worth the trouble putting a couple of extra people into beds for a few nights.

While he weighed up the pros and cons of sanctifying a rescue mission, Loki looked over the pilot’s shoulder at all the screens and readouts, listening intently to the message as it played on repeat. He wore a dark frown, although it was more of frustration at being unable to place the familiar name of the ship than in anger at his peace being interrupted by the distress signal itself.

"You must help the Aphrodite,“ he said suddenly, interrupting Thor and Heimdall’s discussion. Loki offered no further explanation. He simply looked at Thor with a firm but pleading stare. The younger brother knew that this wasn’t his decision to make but never had Thor seen Loki so set on something. "Please, brother.”

It had to be important if Loki was willing to beg. Nodding to the pilot, Thor said, “Adjust the course. Heimdall, make sure there is space in the landing dock for the Aphrodite. We will help her, brother. Don’t worry.”

***

"Aphrodite. This is the refugee ship, Statesman. We have received your distress call and have adjusted course towards your coordinates.“

"Message received. Thank you Statesman.”

You slumped against the cold metal wall of your ship, letting out a sigh of relief. You allowed yourself a brief moment of peace and thanked all the forces in the universe for dropping you within range of a refugee vessel rather than any of the great warships that so often frequented this part of the galaxy.

You input the Statesman into your computer but no record of the ship came up. That was hardly surprising given that your main database had been wiped upon passing - falling - through the wormhole that brought you to this region. Still, if they were willing to offer you help then you weren’t going to complain, especially with the way your hull was currently creaking and bowing above your head.

Jumping to your feet, you worked on fixing the cracks that were slowly widening between the plates of the hull, just for something to do. The atmosphere within your ship was thinning, the breathable oxygen being drawn out into the vacuum of space through the gaps you weren’t fast enough to fix. Even though you could probably have survived just by sitting and waiting, it felt better to do something while you awaited rescue.

The Statesman wasn’t easy to miss. The enormous ship slowly pulled into view, so big that it completely filled your viewing screen. As strange as it was, the ship looked remarkably familiar and you could only guess that it had been one of the models that crazy trader had tried to sell you on the edge of Sakaarian space when you’d picked this ship up, over two centuries ago.

You were given instructions on where to land, although following them was considerably harder than you’d expected. You’d been flying around the universe for long enough and were a perfectly competent pilot but never had you had to fit your ship into such a tight space; sure, you’d flown through your fair share of tight, secret passages between the many sectors for a bit of excitement in your youth but you’d long grown out of that dangerous habit. As you came in to land, you grimaced whenever the wing tips scraped the huge storage barrels that seemed to fill most of the loading dock. 

A friendly group of young men helped you out of your ship after the internal locking mechanism failed. It took six of them to prise the door free and they were all incredibly apologetic for tearing an even bigger hole in the Aphrodite. You waved their concerns aside, simple grateful to be safe and not asphyxiating in the harsh, cold void of space.

You spent a good hour examining both the outer shell of your ship and the internal systems with the help of a lovely engineer called Tordis. Mid discussion about how best to repair the hole on the underside of your ship, the doors to the loading bay opened and a group of three stepped in.

"Your highness,“ Tordis said, curtseying to the group before disappearing into your ship to give you a little privacy.

Nodding at the group in lieu of bowing - they weren’t your royalty but for their kindness you deemed them worthy of some respect - you directed your gaze to the tall black man with remarkable eyes. It was hard to tell, since all three present radiated an air of power and control, but you believed him to be the one in charge.

Straightening your back, you wiped the dirt from your brow and said, "Thank you for coming to my aid. As you can see, the Aphrodite suffered somewhat during her last trip.”

"She has clearly seen better days,“ the blonde man said. He stepped forward and stretched out his hand, which you accepted after a brief moment’s pause. The fact that he of the three was in charge surprised you more than it should have. After all, he was extremely well built and had clearly seen battle but there was a gentleness in his eyes that hardly seemed suited to dealing with the hardships of ruling.

"She’s survived much worse, believe me,” you said, stroking her cracked exterior with a fondness that could only come from two and half centuries of travelling with no other company than the empty ship. “Please, excuse my rudeness but who are you exactly?”

"Of course. This is Brunhilde - although she much prefers to go by Val, so if you favour your tongue I would avoid speaking her true name - and this is Heimdall. They are my most trusted advisors and my best warriors.“

You nodded to them each in turn, noting how the woman smiled at you and loosed her grip on her sword the moment that you smiled in her direction. There was no doubting that she was beautiful and would clearly be receptive to any invitations you might send her way. But you could also tell straight away that she’d lost the one she truly loved and no one would ever fill that gap. That loss was something you understood too well.

Still, you could feel the passion roll from her body in waves, almost suffocating in their power and fervour. The last few centuries had been hard and if you’d learnt anything it was that it was incredibly easy to take comfort in the arms of a beautiful woman. It did little to cure your broken heart but it dulled the pain for a little while. Knowing that you were doing to the same for your partner made it all the sweeter.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now - a difficult feat when Brunhilde - Val - continued to look at you like that - you returned your attention to the man in the centre and asked, "And yourself?”

"I am Thor, King of Asgard. If I may, who exactly are you?“

"I am Y/N,” you answered, the mere mention of Asgard conjuring a dark cloud in your mind. You fought to keep your expression neutral but knew that your sudden chilly mood would be clear for all three to see.

Thor frowned, tilting his head to the side as he fought to place the name. His eye widened when the memory fell into place. “It’s you, isn’t it? The very same. No wonder my brother was so keen for us to change course.”

"I do not wish to see him or speak to him or even hear his name, if it’s all the same,“ you snapped. "I am quite tired. It has been a long day and I am in desperate need of sleep. Have you a spare room in which I may spend the night or am I to stay in this bay?”

"Unfortunately the ship is already past its capacity,“ Thor explained, ignoring your sharp change in tone. "Most of the rooms are being shared but I am sure we can find space for you somewhere.”

"She can share with me,“ Val offered immediately, winking at you from behind her king.

Thor looked to you questioningly and you simply nodded. "Tomorrow we may discuss payment for your hospitality and any parts that I need to fix my ship. I intend to stay no longer than necessary and will leave the moment my repairs are complete. If that is alright with you, Sire,” you added, realising a little too late how rude you were being to your gracious host.

"Of course,“ Thor agreed. "Rest and we shall find time to speak in the morning.”

While Val guided you to her room, the two men stayed behind in the loading bay. Looking to his most trusted friend, Thor asked, “What do you remember of Y/N, Heimdall? Was she so… abrupt before?”

"No, my king, she was not.“

"Do you think it’s safe to let her see Loki? It’s been, what… Five hundred years? Her anger must have surely faded a little by now?”

***

You let out a moan as Val dug her thumbs into your neck, expertly working out the knots that brought you so much discomfort. You melted into her touch, more relaxed than you had been for years. Laying there on her mattress - the spare sheets on the floor long forgotten as she’d immediately insisted that you share the bed (totally platonically, she swore, although you’d hardly complain if things went further with the gorgeous woman) - all of you worries seemed slightly less important.

As her focus shifted to your shoulders, you said softly, “You have magical fingers, Val. Completely wasted on fighting and killing.”

"If only you’d let me show you what else they’re capable of,“ she purred, lightly tracing her nails over your bare shoulders. Your skin tingled everywhere she touched, your insides flipping as she brushed over the most sensitive regions of your neck. "But there’s someone else, isn’t there?”

"No,“ you replied too quickly. With a sigh, you rolled over and stared up at the beautiful woman, unable to resist the urge to brush the dark hair from her face. It was a rare thing indeed to see Val let her hair down, literally and figuratively. She never left her room without tying it up and was far too tense to let anyone see her this vulnerable. However, even around you, Val still kept some walls up and you knew there were some parts of her that you’d never get to see.

"I knew it,” she said. Laying down beside you, it was impossible to ignore her inquisitive gaze. Val was far smarter than you’d initially given her credit for, so much so that you were reluctant to say anything and risk her finding out the truth. “That can’t be easy. Being a goddess of love and all that.”

"Heartbreak and loss aren’t easy for anyone. Yourself included. I am sorry for what happened to you, Val. I heard the stories of that great war but to know her death was for nothing cannot be easy.“

For the first time in your conversation, Val looked away and mumbled, "We’re talking about you, not me.”

You rested your hand of top of hers and couldn’t help but snatch it back when you felt the true extent of her heartbreak. She too jumped away, scowling at you for bringing those terrible memories to the forefront of her mind. Apologising profusely, you left the room to give her a little time alone to deal with her thoughts in private.

Struggling with your own inner turmoil, you headed to the one place on the refugee large ship that you could call “home”: the Aphrodite. In the few days that you had been on the Statesman, you and the few remaining Asgardians engineers had made substantial progress on fixing the hull of your ship. Unfortunately, while the metal shell was easily fixed, the wrecked computer systems needed far more intense repairs.

Your scanners and weapons had been completely decimated and as you’d noted before your main database had been wiped entirely. It would take weeks to sort through the data fragments that had survived, weeks you really didn’t want to spent on the Statesman. It was nothing against the Asgardian refugees, of course. More one specific refugee, who you had so far avoided but knew your luck wouldn’t hold for much longer.

Mere seconds, as it turned out.

"You look… different.“

"Sorry to disappoint,” you mumbled, refusing to move from beneath the panel you were working on. Sparks flew down and landed on your face when the system overloaded from you accidentally linking two separate sub routers together in a way that had definitely not been anticipated by the original designer of the ship.

Sliding out from beneath the console only to grab another tool, you said, “Deep space requires more practical clothes than flowing ball gowns and high heels. When you’re floating alone through the universe, there are more important things than looking nice.”

"You’re still beautiful even in those hideous clothes.“

"What a way with words you do have. Now, if you’d leave me alone, I’d be so very glad.” A pair of booted feet crept into your peripheral vision as Loki boarded your ship, without permission to enter. Wondering if he’d always been so rude as to invade your personal space without prior consent - then remembering everything else he’d done in the name of a bet - you grumbled, “If I were you, I’d leave while you still can. I have nothing else to say to you.”

The console above your head groaned beneath his weight and you were genuinely concerned that it might snap from the wall of the ship if you weren’t careful. Tightening the screws around the support beams just in case it truly did fail with Loki resting against it, you continued to mess with the wires until it became clear the prince had no interest in leaving without speaking to you.

Crawling out from your working space, banging you head in the haste, you scowled at Loki and said, “What do you want?”

"To talk,“ he said simply, arms crossed over his chest in an attempt to resist the urge to reach forward and wipe the oil smudge from your cheek.

"There’s nothing to talk about, Loki. Now, I won’t ask again; leave before I make you.”

"I’d love to see you try,“ he said, smirking slightly. "My brother has invited you to join us for dinner tonight. I hope that you can make it.”

***

The food itself was surprisingly good, considering that it was effectively nothing more than dressed up rations. This being the king’s chambers, and you a recognised ally and guest of Asgard, you were served a hearty stew of vegetables and meat substitutes. It was nothing like the extravagant meals that you had been served in the halls of Odin but given the change of Asgard’s circumstances it was perfectly acceptable.

You had been tactically sat at the opposite end of the table to Loki and were constantly entertained throughout the evening by Thor, Val and Heimdall. You were also introduced to a loud but sweet creature called the Hulk who, like every other man in the universe, was quite taken with you. However, you didn’t mind his attentions for he expressed them in the form of stealing your stale bread (which you wouldn’t have eaten anyway) and scowling at Loki every time he looked your way.

While the food may have been basic, the alcohol that accompanied it was far from tame. Apparently, according to your host, Val had found an ingenious way to convert old parts into an exceptionally efficient still and since their voyage had begun had brewed enough mead to last them for another three years (if she cut back on her drinking it would last five but, understandably, circumstances being what they were she was loathed to face any of it completely sober).

As the meal drew to a close, and you reached your limit with the Asgardian mead - you’d forgotten just how strong they took their alcohol - you turned to Thor and thanked him for his hospitality. “I appreciate your kindness, good king. I shall see you in the morning to discuss possible trading partners in the area. Until then, good evening.”

"Y/N, don’t go,“ Hulk moaned, pouting like a child when you stood to leave.

You slipped out of his grasp but went back to pat his incredibly muscled leg - which had to have been thicker than your entire body - and promised to spend some time with him later on. Hoping that the gentle beast wouldn’t take that too literally and burst into yours and Val’s room in the middle of the night, you bid everyone a final farewell.

The trek back to your room was far longer than you’d expected but put it down to the Statesman being a big ship. As you walked through the dimly lit corridors you noted that the metal plates of the walls rusting around the edges and looking one meteor impact away from failing completely. There were a few divides that had clearly been torn down to make new walk ways or to get at the questionably functioning circuits that controlled everything on the ship. Avoiding those sharp metal edges became quite the feat but you managed to escape without any major injury.

After twenty minutes of wandering, you started to think that you’d taken a wrong turn somewhere. That suspicion was confirmed when after another twenty minutes of backtracking you still had no idea where you were. On your third time of passing the door to the engine room, you caught sight of a dark green in your peripheral and let out a groan of frustration. "If you think that trapping me in a magical loop will make me any more receptive to talking to you, Loki, you are severely mistaken. End this childish game now.”

"Is it really too much to ask for a moment of your attention?“

"I gave you all the attention you deserve and then some back then. Just look what happened. I owe you nothing now.”

"I know that,“ he said, finally stepping out of the shadows. "But I do owe you an apology and I would quite like to give it.”

You shook your head, not wanting to hear it. Over the years, you’d run this moment through in your head so many times that you could almost fool yourself into think that it had actually happened. Loki would seek you out and pull you aside. He’d explain why played with your heart for the sake of a bet and then beg for forgiveness.

In the hundreds of times you’d imagined it, you’d always forgiven him. After all, as the old saying went, time heals all wounds. Loki’s affections for you had never been anything more than a scam in order to win a bet and you’d let it go as such. There was no point harbouring such dark feelings for a man.

But in reality it was so much harder to forgive.

Narrowing your gaze, you said, “That may be so but I don’t want to hear it. Break your spell and let me leave.”

"Ah. It’s not quite that simple. The only way to leave the loop is to be shown it by the caster,“ he said, looking genuinely regretful that he’d trapped you in such a spell when it was clear you wanted to nothing more to do with him. "Follow me.”

"If this is another trick…“

"I swear, it’s not. It’s this way.”

You walked in silence until it became more oppressive than Val’s snoring. You jerked away every time Loki made the slightest movement towards you and your muscles ached from how stiffly you were holding them. Realising exactly what you were doing, you forced yourself to relax. Focusing on the line of the pipes on the floor beneath the grating, you asked the first question that came to mind: “What became of your annoying friend?”

"When Hela first arrived on Asgard she killed Fandral.“

"Oh.”

"No harsh words for him? Only for me?“

"He died, Loki. No matter what awful things he did in life, I will not speak ill of the dead. I’m sorry you lost your friend.”

Loki just shrugged at that. “We hadn’t been friends for many years.”

Tugging on the sleeves of your jacket, you admitted, “I prayed for you all when I heard about Asgard’s fate.” Anticipating his next question before the words had even formed on his lips, you kept your gaze fixed on the ground and said, “Yes, Loki. Even you.”

Your walk together was silent after that. Loki didn’t try to pull you in to conversation, for which you were grateful. You had no intention of loosening up around him and he recognised that. You knew that if you did for even a single second then there was every chance that you might actually forgive him.

When you finally arrived back at your door, you almost thanked him but bit your tongue. It was his fault you’d been trapped in that ridiculous loop in the first place. Meeting his gaze for the first time to bid his a sharp farewell, your words failed as you felt your breath catch in your throat.

You’d forgotten just how expressive his beautiful eyes were. You could almost feel his sorrows. They were so much stronger than you recalled. Whereas before the young prince had harboured dark feelings towards his family for the simple reasons of constantly been pushed aside and ignored, the pain they now held was far beyond that.

Loki had seen terrible things, done terrible things. For all the people he’d hurt and killed, either by his own volition or under the orders of another, he battled with that guilt every day. It was truly terrible. He thought that he would never find someone to love him after all of that; he even questioned whether or not his own brother feigned his affection for him just to keep him in line and out of trouble.

It was a lot of information to take from a single, troubled expression but you were a goddess of love, after all. If there was one thing that you were good at, it was knowing exactly what lay in the hearts of men and women alike.

Faced with such turmoil, you let out a deep sigh and shook your head. You couldn’t bring yourself to shout at him when he was already dealing with so much. It just didn’t seem fair. Placing a hand on his shoulder, you murmured, “Good night, Loki.”

"Y/N,“ Loki whispered, catching your hand as you turned away. He rested your hand over his heart, hope surging within him when he dropped his own hand but yours remained in place. "I am truly sorry for what happened. It was a child’s game but my feelings for you were real. Are still real. I know that it is a lot to ask of you but I hope you can find it in yourself to see I’ve changed.”

"Loki…“ You took a step backwards as he tried to close the gap between you, gasping when you felt the cold metal of the door through your jacket. "Don’t…”

He lifted his fingers to your face, softly tracing your line of your jaw. “You are so beautiful.”

Loki’s gentleness made your stomach flip and the echo of his touch lingered long after he’d dropped his hand. The gap between you was nonexistent now. His nose bumped against yours, his lips millimetres from yours. Teasingly he nipped your bottom lip then pulled away, leaving you eagerly chasing a kiss.

"Y/N! What are you still doing up?“ Val’s voice echoed down the hallway, sending Loki flying back in panic. He shoved his hands in his pockets, mumbled a goodnight and disappeared around the corner before Val got close enough for him to see her scowl.

She grabbed you by the arm and pushed you into your shared room. Standing by the door, hands on her hips, she asked, "What the hell was that?”

"Nothing.“

"Bullshit. You were all but ready to drop your trousers and let Loki have his wicked way with you out there in the hallway.” Catching your guilty look as you turned away, Val exclaimed, “You actually were, weren’t you! Of all the people on this forsaken ship, why him?”

Pulling off your many layers of clothes until you were in nothing but your underwear, you clambered on to the bed and stared at the ceiling, hoping that Val would let the subject drop. She didn’t. Under her intense glare, you finally cracked. “He is… Was my someone else.”

"In that case, you’re welcome,“ she said, the mattress slumping as she crawled beside you.

"For what?”

"For stopping you doing something that you’d regret.“

You rolled over to face her, all prepared to argue back until you saw her expression. Val genuinely had your best interests at heart and didn’t want to see you get hurt. Still, you couldn’t help ask, "What if I wanted to do something I knew I’d regret?”

Her lips turned up in a wonderful smirk, full of mischief and promise. Val traced her fingers up the length of your arm and playfully pinged the strap on your shoulder. Stealing a kiss, and then leaning in again for seconds, she pulled you tight against her body and asked, “Wanna do something you’ll regret with me instead?”

You hadn’t been wrong about Val having magic hands and, regardless of what you’d said to one another, you knew it was a night that neither of you would ever regret.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even sorry :D

"The Aphrodite is off limits to civilians,“ you yelled. You were currently stretched out under the main deck fiddling with the computer systems so couldn’t actually see who had boarded your ship. You knew that you weren’t alone, though, because the sensor lights were flaring up around you, giving you quite a headache.

Snatching your hand back from the sparking wires, silently noting that those two systems were definitely not designed to piggyback one another, you shuffled out from the tight space in which you were working. Still laying on your back, you stared up from beneath the floor to try and get some idea of who had ignored the general order to stay away from your ship but couldn’t get a clear view from between the pipes and grating.

When the sparks stopped flying, you saw that the wiring you’d been messing with had completely burnt out. With a groan of frustration, that being the third system you’d managed to wreck this week, you called up to your intruder, "If you’re going to just stand there, at least be helpful. There should be a box of gold alloy cables in locker five. I need it.”

You heard the unmistakable creaking of your lockers opening and a few seconds later the access hatch opened. You shimmied down so you could reach up and grab the cables, stretching your arm out in wait. The hard, rectangular object was handed to you didn’t feel right - the last you’d checked, your cable box wasn’t made of fabric. “I don’t think this is it. Are you sure you opened five?”

It took a minute to manoeuvre yourself out of the tight, under floor service tunnel and drag yourself back into the main deck. A hand wrapped itself around your wrist to help you out and haul you out of the small hatch. Wiping the grime off your hands onto your equally filthy trousers, you mumbled, “I should have known it was you. Why are you here?”

"What, no thank you?“

"Thank you, Loki.” You took the package back from Loki and turned it over in your hands. You’d been right to think that it was wrapped; it was covered in a soft fabric, black but shimmering green in the right light. It was quite beautiful, honestly, but you were loathed to tell him that. “What is this?”

"A gift.“

"Why?”

"Just open it. Please.“

You perched on the edge of a control station and tugged at the piece of string holding the fabric in place. Letting the black cloth fall to the floor, you stared at the book in your hands with wonder. You’d never heard of it, and weren’t even sure that it was in a language you spoke, but it was beautifully bound in leather and titled in gold leaf. Flicking through the pages you saw the most incredible illustrations, some of which were even enchanted to move. It was truly a beautiful gift but you had no idea why Loki had given it to you.

Sensing your confusion, Loki explained, "Consider it an apology for trapping you within the spell last night. It was a foolish thing to do.”

"It was,“ you agreed. "But I understand.”

Loki’s head snapped up from where he’d been staring at the ground - at a remarkably uninteresting crack in a panel - and asked, “You do?”

"I gave you no reason to believe that I would listen to you, so you took it into your own hands to ensure that I did.“ Running your fingers along the spine of the book, you kept your gaze on the ornate gold lettering knowing that you would be unable to admit your thoughts while looking directly at Loki.

It was surprisingly easy to find the words you wanted to say. Letting go was as simple as you’d always imagined. The only reason you’d been unable to do it last night was because you were hindered by pride and anger but you knew it was time to move on. Holding on to the pain for over five centuries had steeled your heart. You were ready now to open yourself up to the possibility of love again.

Speaking softly, you said, "After everything you’ve been through, I see that you cannot be the same man I left on Asgard. While I may never be able to forgive what you did, I do believe you when you say you have changed. One day, I may be willing to let you prove it to me.”

"I wonder - not that I am complaining, of course - what prompted your change of heart.“

"I thought long and hard about what you said last night - ”

Interrupting you mid explanation, Loki said, “From what I’ve heard, you were too busy last night to do that much thinking.”

"Excuse me?“

"Brunhilde is the most tremendous gossip.” Chuckling at your horrified expression, Loki assured you, “She absolutely sang your praises, don’t worry. Your reputation as a creative and passionate lover has been fully protected. Never has Brunhilde been so complimentary towards a partner.”

You buried your head in your hands, shaking your head as Loki recounted Val’s exact words on last night. You weren’t so much embarrassed that word of your talents was spreading - after all, half of your reputation as a goddess of the heart revolved around your ability to make anyone, regardless of gender, fall at your feet for the chance of spending a night together - rather resigned to the fact that you would now most likely spend your days fending off the masses.

While you could have easily charmed everyone on the ship into your bed, it didn’t mean you wanted to. Getting a moment of peace alone was much easier when people didn’t know who you were. And now, because of Val’s boasting, you likely weren’t going to get the choice either way.

"If you are worried about being swamped by propositions, I have a suggestion,“ Loki said, guessing your thoughts. He took a hesitant step forward, encouraged by the fact you didn’t shy away from his proximity, and perched himself against the console by your side.

"Am I to believe that you’ve changed enough that you’ll give me your suggestion for free? Or will it cost me something in return? As you see,” you said, gesturing around the wreck of your ship. The few parts that were still working were worth more as scrap and you’d not been carrying any precious goods when you’d sent out the mayday call. “I have little of value to trade.”

The corner of Loki’s lips turned up in a dazzling smirk. His eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint, but that was underpinned by a much more intense desire that had you shaking in anticipation. “I had been prepared to offer it for free but since you mentioned a price…”

Loki was suddenly standing in front of you, his body caging yours against the console. He took the book from your hands and placed it gently on the side. The moment that it left his hands he no longer cared about it. His attention was entirely focused on you and the way you responded to his brief, almost non-existent touches. Your shallow breathing. Your trembling hands. Your gasp at his cool lips on your neck.

Your heart was pounding in your chest, threatening to burst through your rib cage and fly away. All semblance of coherent thought seemed to have vanished, replaced only by the desire to let Loki continue his teasing exploration of your body. Your grip on the under edge of the console was so tight that your knuckles were turning white, your arms aching from the stiffness.

"Relax, darling,“ Loki whispered, kissing the spot just below your ear. He ran his hand down your arm, bringing it to rest on top of your own hand where he pried your fingers loose and linked them with his, squeezing gently. Cupping your cheek with his free hand, his dotted light kisses along your jaw. "Don’t over think this.”

"I… Loki, I need a minute,“ you breathed heavily, pressing your hand against his chest and shoving him backwards. You slipped out of his reach and braced yourself against the controls in the cockpit. Watching the erratic blinking lights helped to calm you and you breathed in time to the flashing of the warning symbol until your pulse has settled back down.

When you finally turned around you expected Loki to be long gone but there he was, resting against the panel exactly where he’d been before. He watched you with great concern but, although he wanted nothing more than to take your hands and reassure you that everything would be fine, he remained still and waited for you to make the first move.

You leant back against the pilot’s chair and gave a half smile. "I’m sorry. I must have over thought it.”

"Don’t apologise, Y/N,“ Loki said, opening his arms to you. He kissed the top of your head as you allowed him to envelop you in his embrace. "It’s alright.”

"What was your suggestion?“ you asked, leaning back so you could see his face. "To stop the hoards from bothering me.”

"This was the suggestion,“ he answered, having the good grace to look at least a little embarrassed by his forwardness. It was your turn to smirk while he tried to explain his reasoning. "If the people were to think us together, they’d daren’t try to win your affections. Not if they already belong to their prince.”

"That wouldn’t work. They know that I slept with Val.“

"Brunhilde and I have a… standing arrangement, you could say.”

You had been expecting many possible comebacks but that hadn’t been one of them. It would certainly explain why Loki was the only one brave enough to use Val’s real name. Pushing aside thoughts of how wonderful a night with both Loki and Val might be, trying desperately to hide the growing heat on your face, you asked, “Let me get this right; only people with an invitation into your bed may try to court me? Is that your grand plan?”

"I can assure you that, aside from you, Brunhilde is the only one with an invitation to my bed. And hers is only under very specific circumstances. You truly needn’t worry. However, if you would rather face the attentions of the masses alone…“

***

You were glad you’d accepted Loki’s offer, in all honesty.

As soon as word spread around the ship that you and Loki were partners, the number of propositions towards you dropped to almost nothing. Occasionally you were accosted in the hallways but those who tried were generally young and, finding you in your rare moments alone, were more opportunistic than anything else. They all backed away in perfect civility when you reminded them in not so subtle terms that you were the prince’s partner and pursuing you behind his back would not end well. 

Aside from the few unwelcome advances, pretending to be Loki’s partner certainly had its advantages. Namely his company, for one. In all the years you’d spent hating him, you’d forgotten just how interesting he was to be around. You debated topics ranging from the slave trade on Sakaar to the blooming patterns of the sentient flowers on Contraxia. Anything to keep your minds sharp.

You exchanged books with one another (your collection having grown considerably since you brought the Aphrodite and actually had room to keep them) and spent hours discussing the nuances of writers across the galaxy. Those were the evenings which you knew Loki savoured the most for almost no one on the Statesmen was able to keep up with him when it came to great literature. Admittedly at times you struggled to keep up with him as well but he never seemed to mind.

So many days were spend with Loki that the repairs on the Aphrodite fell behind incredibly. You allowed a small team of Asgardian engineers to work on it whenever they had free time but without your knowledge of the ship’s systems there really wasn’t much they could do. You couldn’t find it in yourself to care, though, as the desire to leave the refugee ship grew dimmer every day you spent there.

"What’s this?” you asked, turning the little box over in your hands. Your mouth twitched into a smile as Loki kissed your cheek and sat down, joining you at your table in the ship’s communal dining area. While Thor maintained that it was a dining hall as grand as the one on Asgard, in reality it was little more than a collection of crates and benches arranged in a similar way.

As one of his first acts as king, Thor had tried to eliminate the hierarchy of seating, where nobles and royalty sat at the top of the table and lesser citizens were relegated to the far end, but the Asgardian people had insisted that at least some of their tradition stand. It had taken days of negotiating but in the end it had been decided that the king would have his own table - which ended up right in the centre of the hall so that Thor could feel like he wasn’t separating himself from the people - but the rest of the hall was open to everyone.

The main issue with the benches was that the concept of personal space was all but forgotten. As was the route of all problems on the ship, there were just too many people. Comfort was all but ignored in the name of necessity and as such you always ended up squashed between others when you sat down to eat.

Thankfully, Loki was more than willing to share his personal space with you and more often than not - today included - you ended up in his lap. Loki wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his chin on your shoulder. “It’s a present, love.”

"I can see that. What did I do to deserve a present?“

Before Loki could answer, he was interrupted by Hulk who sat on the opposite side of the table with Val. The gentle green creature dropped his bowl of stew and with an impressive show of speed Val caught it without spilling a drop; she was probably the most surprised of everyone, and rewarded herself with a large glug of mead. Bashing his fist on the table, the green giant yelled, "Present? Hulk want present!”

"I’m sorry, Hulk. We don’t have a present for you. Now, come on, big guy. Don’t be sad,“ you said as his face crumpled up into a frown. Loki had tensed up beneath you, having more reason than most not to see Hulk get angry; whenever he did, the giant almost always ended up turning his aggression on Loki.

Stretching across the table, you handed him the small box and offered, "Why don’t you help me open it instead?”

The tattered little box was absolutely dwarfed in his thick fingers but he tugged on the string with an utmost gentle of touch. He threw the lid aside and stared at the contents of the box, his excitement dimming when faced with nothing edible or shiny. Looking up at Loki, his brow furrowed in confusion, he asked, “What is it?”

"A code,“ Loki said cryptically, taking the folded piece of parchment and handing it to you. As you went to open the crumpled note, Loki rested his hand over yours and shook his head. He didn’t have to say for you to realise that whatever it opened was extremely personal to him and he didn’t want anyone else to oversee the code.

Lifting you off his lap and on to your feet, he slid his meal over the table for Val and Hulk to argue over. Loki hadn’t taken a single bite of his dinner but you suspected that he’d never intended to stay for the meal anyway. Taking your hand, he said, "Come with me, my darling, and I’ll show you.”

It felt like you walked for hours before reaching a door you’d never seen before. That struck you as incredibly odd; the first thing you’d done upon your arrival on the Statesman was to steal a copy of the ship’s internal layout and familiarise yourself with every inch of the ship.

As you stepped towards the door, you realised why you’d never seen it before. There was a familiar tingle in the air and when you looked closely you noticed a slight green glow around the door. It was hidden by Loki’s magic, a very powerful spell indeed to stop unwanted visitors from even seeing the door let alone opening it.

"After you.“ Loki nodded towards the keypad and you quickly tapped in the code he’d given you. The lights flashed green and the door swung open to reveal the most incredible sight.

The small abandoned bay had been converted into a beautiful garden, straight from Asgard itself. Where storage shelves had once been cold and empty, they now house soil beds from which incredible flowers were growing. Petals in every colour of the rainbow sat in these beds, their sweet smell filling the small space with a intoxicating fragrance.

Vines hung down from the bulk heads, tightly twisted around the metal pipes to hide them from view. Small berries seemed to be growing from a few of the plants that hung from the ceiling, bright dots of red and blue amongst the dark background. You plucked a few to try and were blown away by the intense sweetness.

In the far corner of the bay was a wall of hangers which had been transformed into a miniature fruit and vegetable patch. You recognised most of the plants as rare products of Asgard, the kind that had been shipped out across the galaxy in very small amounts for very large prices. True delicacies, so expensive that only the kings and queens of the realms could afford to grace their tables with them.

All of that paled in comparison to the main showpiece of the garden, though. What had long ago been a simple crate was now the base of a stunning rose bush which stood proudly at almost 5 feet. The roots and stems alike had grown through the holes in the box, almost hiding the underlying structure entirely beneath a natural mess of greenery. The flowers themselves were in every shade of pink and red that you could think of, and some that you had never seen before in your life.

Loki plucked a pastel pink rose from the bush and brushed the soft, silky petals against your cheek. He drew the rose over your jaw and down your neck, the tender touches making you feel dizzy and light headed. Your lips parted as he traced the flower along the gentle curve of your mouth, a quiet moan escaping as your control began to slip.

It was as much a test of Loki’s self control as it was yours. He looked at you with a deep hunger, a desperation to drop all the pretences and kiss you until you both forgot how to speak. But he waited for you to make the first move, unwilling to push you out of your comfort zone just to satisfy his own desires. In an impressive show of restraint, Loki stepped back and the heated atmosphere lifted just enough for your mind to clear. 

"This is my private garden,” he explained, wandering around the shelves so he wouldn’t be tempted to pull you against his body and throw his control to the wind. Running his fingers along the metal edges, Loki said, “After my mother died, I ensured that her gardens in the palace were maintained to a standard she’d be proud of. When Asgard was destroyed, all of that was lost.”

"She’d be very proud of this, Loki. It is a beautiful tribute.“

"Thank you. I come here to think, sometimes. It reminds me of happier times.”

"You aren’t happy now?“

Loki stepped out from around the hanger and stood in front of you, his emotions bared for you to see. He brushed the hair from your face and tucked the rose behind your ear, his fingers lingering a moment on your cheek before he let them drop. He opened his mouth a few times to speak but changed his mind every time, words failing him for the first time in centuries.

"Loki, is everything alright?”

"The future is bleak, Y/N,“ he whispered.

You took his hands in yours, rubbing your thumb over his skin to try and stop him from trembling. Touching your forehead to his, you closed your eyes and leant him all the strength you could spare. "You shouldn’t think like that.”

"It’s the truth,“ he insisted, pushing you back. He gripped on to your arms so tightly that you were sure you’d have bruises in the morning. You’d never seen Loki so scared and couldn’t imagine what he’d possibly have seen to make him this terrified. "The darkness is moving, Y/N. It’s all going to fall apart. How can I ever truly be happy when I know that it is all doomed to end?”

"Everything is doomed to end, Loki. It’s the nature of existence. Everything must reach an end but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy along the way. In fact, it’s the exact reason why we must be. It’s what I’ve done for thousands of years: I help people find love and happiness so that the end doesn’t seem so bad. They don’t have to face the darkness alone.“

"Does it make it better for them? Truly?” he asked, pulling back just enough to meet your gaze. His eyes were bloodshot from holding back tears. “And what of those that are doomed to lose everything, everyone, they love?”

Pushing his dark hair away from his face, you brushed your lips against his in a soft kiss. It was tentative and barely there, a show of comfort and understanding rather than passion. “You will not lose me, Loki.”

"Everyone I love dies, Y/N! I’ve already lost you once. I can’t face it again.“

"You won’t. You have my word as a goddess of the heart. As the woman who loves you dearly. I kept it, you know. The book you gave me. Even when I hated you, I could never throw it away. See, you never really lost me in the first place. My heart has belonged to you since that first day and it will be yours until the very last.”

The panicked desperation on his face drained away as you spoke, slowly replaced by a warm adoration. Your words pulled him back from the dark edge and the change was obvious to see. His shoulders relaxed, his grip on your arms loosened. “I love you, Y/N.”

"I love you too, Loki.“

He kissed you slowly but without hesitation. Neither of you held back as you lost yourself to the passionate, burning heat between you. All your barriers faded away until all that was left was a deep love and understanding, the kind that survived every obstacle put in its way.

Without remembering how you’d gotten from Loki’s secret garden back to your shared room, you ended up on the bed, a pile of clothes and sheets discarded and forgotten at the foot. Your limbs tangled with Loki as you surrendered to one another’s touch, igniting a fire inside you both which had been locked away for far too long.

***

"Come on, you stupid piece of junk!” you yelled, kicking the Aphrodite’s navigation console so hard that you definitely broke a toe. Swearing in every tongue you could remember (it was incredible how even after three thousand years of not speaking a language you could still recall how to curse in it), you finally slumped in to the pilot’s chair in defeat.

In the past few months, you and Loki (or rather you, with Loki spouting encouragement from the sidelines) had managed to restore almost all of the systems you’d thought long lost. However, for every problem solved another seemed to appear and this was just the latest in a long line of computer failures that had you pulling out your hair. “That’s it. I’m done.”

Loki was by your side in seconds, placing a kiss on the top of your head and pulling you back to your feet. “Don’t give up now, love. You’re nearly there now. You just have to treat the machine gently and with respect like she’s your lover.”

"I very much doubt she’d want to be treated the way I treat my lovers,“ you quipped. "If last night was anything to go by, gently is not my style.”

"Oh, I don’t know,“ Loki said, tenderly sucking on one of the many bruises that littered your neck. A shudder ran through your entire body, the memories of the night before making you blush. Leaning around you, the prince suggested, "Why don’t you let me have a try. I’m sure that I can coax a reaction out of her.”

You swore even louder when Loki’s gentle tone and soft touch actually did kick start the computer.

Tapping in your security details, the entire system flickered back to life and you let out a joyful cheer. You flung your arms around Loki’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. Melting into his body as his hands began to wander, you couldn’t help but think how wonderfully everything had turned out. You had your ship. You were happy. You loved and were loved in return. Life truly couldn’t be better.

Loki deepened the kiss, his cool lips burning with passion as he backed you against the console and ran his hands over your body in reverence. “Beautiful,” he murmured, his fingers feeling all your curves. Knocking your jacket off your shoulders, he brought his lips back to yours and repeated, “So beautiful.”

Just as you began to fumble with Loki’s buckles, you heard a coughing at the ship’s door and practically jumped out of your skin.

"Oh. Hi, Thor,“ you mumbled, pulling your jacket back into place and smoothing out the non-existent creases in your trousers. "What can I do for you?”

"I received word that work was progressing well on the Aphrodite. I had hoped that you would allow Heimdall and I to access your navigation charts - assuming you’ve managed to restore them. Korg believes that there is a planet not far from here that may be willing to allow us to trade but doesn’t know its precise location.“

"You’re in luck. We just got everything back online. Tell me where we are now and we can have a look.” After inputting all the information that Thor could provide, you were able to make an educated guess as to which part of space you were currently travelling through. What you were unable to find, however, was any reference to an inhabited planet that might be open to trade.

Relaying that information back to Thor, your words slowed to a halt as you remembered something else that might be of use. You tapped a few new commands into your system and a new object appeared on the map, only a few days away from your current position.

"What’s that?“ the king asked, leaning over your shoulder to get a better look.

"It’s a doorway,” you, Loki and Heimdall all answered in a scary unison.

Loki zoomed in on the map, slumping against the control panel when he realised exactly which kind of gateway he was looking at. You weren’t surprised at how easily he managed to identify it, seeing how he’d known of all the secret doorways on Asgard. Depending on where they led, they had different details and this was the most obvious of all. Edged in blue and green, there was only one place in the universe that it could possibly go. “A fold in space. It leads to Midgard, brother.”

"Is it stable enough to pass the Statesman through?“ Heimdall asked.

You nodded. "I’ve used this pass before. It used to be guarded by a small space station but I believe that it fell out of order around a century ago. The door itself should still be perfectly stable.”

"Thank you, Y/N. Heimdall, adjust the course to Earth.“

"Brother, a word,” Loki mumbled, pulling Thor out of your ship and into the docking bay.

The two stood by the viewing gallery, their backs to you, staring out into space. You couldn’t hear what they were saying and, while you were curious to hear what they were talking about, it wasn’t your business. Instead, you sat in your chair and tried to get the rest of your systems up and running.

Just as you successfully managed to test start your engines, a darkness fell over your ship. Your communication relays weren’t working and you were picking up artificial static on every channel, like someone was blocking you. A quick check of the systems proved it wasn’t any fault of yours so you hurried out of the Aphrodite and over to where the brothers were standing.

"What is that?“ you gasped, staring at the enormous ship that had just pulled into view. The weapon systems were unlike anything you could have imagined and, in all your years of travelling, you’d only ever heard of one ship that was as armed as this. Sanctuary.

Loki took your hand in his and clung to you like his life depended on it, which you both knew at this point it very well might. It was a small comfort but at least you were together. The prince trembled at your side, trying and failing to steel himself against what was to come. "This is it. This is the end of everything.”


End file.
